The Relationship Between Preschoolers’ Attitudes and Play Behaviors Toward Classmates With Disabilities

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between 32 typically developing preschoolers’ attitudes and play behaviors toward their classmates with disabilities or developmental delays. Children’s attitudes toward peers with disabilities were assessed using three methods: child interviews, sociometric peer ratings, and a social acceptance scale. Children’s play behaviors (e.g., solitary, onlooker, parallel play, associative/cooperative play) and teachers’ involvement in children’s play were observed during free play over a 10-week period. Results revealed that children’s identification of a classmate with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) as having a disability was negatively related to their associative/cooperative play with the classmate. Typically developing children’s sociometric ratings of classmates with disabilities were positively related to their associative/cooperative play with classmates with disabilities. In addition, children’s sociometric ratings were a stronger indicator of whether a typically developing child would play with a classmate with a disability than was identification of a classmate as having a disability. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice are discussed.

Social Experiences of Children With Disabilities in Inclusive Portuguese Preschool Settings

“…Social acceptance and rejection of young children with disabilities have been the subject of few studies (e.g., Odom et al, 2006). Despite the fact that young children in inclusive classrooms show high acceptance toward peers with disabilities (Diamond, 2001), about a quarter of young children with disabilities are rejected (Odom et al, 2006), and typically developing children’s identification of a peer as having a disability seems to be negatively associated with their associative/cooperative play (Yu, Ostrosky, & Fowler, 2015).…”

Investigating Young Children’s Conceptualizations of Disability and Race: An Intersectional, Multiplane Critique

“…For instance, through structured child interviews, researchers have utilized dolls to elicit and assess young children’s biases—such as asking children to choose one of two dolls (one with and one without a physical disability) to include in play (e.g., Diamond et al, 2008) or asking children whether they would assign a label (e.g., good, bad) to dolls based on racial categories (e.g., Stokes-Guinan, 2011). Researchers have also incorporated visual stimuli (e.g., photographs, cartoons) and coloring tasks in interviews to elicit and assess young children’s personal beliefs, preferences, and intended behaviors in relation to disability (e.g., Yu et al, 2015) or race (e.g., Jordan & Hernandez-Reif, 2009). Yet generating data surrounding young children’s conceptualizations of disability or race, separately, hides the ways in which disability and race have been historically and contemporarily constructed to equate whiteness with competence (Artiles, 2011).…”

Friendships and Social Acceptance of Portuguese Children With Disabilities: The Role of Classroom Quality, Individual Skills, and Dosage

“…ECE inclusion seems to be associated with the social outcomes of children with and without disabilities (e.g., Buysse et al, 2002; Diamond, Hong, & Tu, 2008). Specifically, the proximity afforded by ECE inclusion may increase opportunities for the development of friendships between children with different abilities (Yu, Ostrosky, & Fowler, 2014). Friendship is based on reciprocity: friends spend time together, play, and show mutual affection, across time and in different activities (Goldman, 2007).…”

“…Children’s disability profile may influence the extent to which they are chosen to play by their typically developing peers (Yu et al, 2014). For example, children with physical disabilities are less likely to be chosen to participate in an activity requiring motor skills by typically developing children (Diamond et al, 2008).…”

“…For example, children with physical disabilities are less likely to be chosen to participate in an activity requiring motor skills by typically developing children (Diamond et al, 2008). Furthermore, children without disabilities tend to choose to play with children with disabilities more often if they do not identify them as having disabilities (Yu et al, 2014). However, the few studies focusing on the severity of children’s disability reported mixed findings, with Buysse et al (2002) finding no associations with the number of friends and Aguiar et al (2010) reporting positive associations with peer acceptance.…”